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1.— The  A  B  C  of  Bridge.    ByE.  A.  Tennant. 

Description  and   Rules  of  the  Game.     How  to 
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Percival  Westell. 

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15.— The  A  B  C  of  Carpentry.    By  Geo  Day. 
16.— The   A  B  C   of  The   Dog.     By   Harold 
Tremayne. 


THE   ABC    OF 

THE    HORSE 


THE  ABC  OF 

THE  HORSE 

HO IV  TO  BUY,  HOW  TO  TELL  AGE, 

MANAGEMENT,  FRAUDULENT  PRACTICES, 

AILMENTS,  TREATMENT,  Etc.,  Etc. 


HAROLD  TREMAYNE 

AUTHOR  OF 
KEMINISCENCES  OF  A  GENTLEMAN  HOUSE  DEALER,"  ETC.,  ETC. 


LONDON  *  ^  1^  *  ^ 
HENRY  J.  DRANE 

(  YE  OLDE  ST.  BRIDE'S  PRESSE) 
«f  i«f  SALISBURY  HOUSE 
SALISBURY  SQUARE     ^     * 

lik       ^       Itk        FLEET    STREET,    E.G. 


Printed  by  Henry  J.  Drane,  Ye  Okie  Saint  Bride's 
Presse,  Salisbury  Square,  London,  E.G. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 


PREFACE    9 

CHAPTER  I 
Different    Breeds    of    Horses  —  The 

Difficulty  of  Selection  .        .        .        n 

CHAPTER  H 
How   to    Buy    a    PIorse  —  Fraudulent 

Practices  to  be  Guarded  Against  .        36 

CHAPTER  HI 
How  TO  Tell  the  Age  of  the  Horse    .        64 

CHAPTER  IV 
General     Management  :      Grooming— 

Stabling— Feeding     .        .        .        •        7o 

CHAPTER  V 
Minor   Accidents    and    Ailments,    and 

their  Treatment        .        .        .        •        96 
7 


BY  THE  SAME  AUTHOR 

ALL  YOU  WANT  TO  KNOW 
ABOUT  THE  DOG 

ABC  T«  DOG 

How  to  Choose  a  Dog.    How  to  Train 

a  Dog.    The  Ailments  of  the  Dog 

and  theif  Treatment*    How  to 

Buy  a  Dog,  etc,  etc* 

BY 

HAROLD   TREMAYNE 

Price  Price 

One  Shilling  One  Shilling 

London 

HENRY  J.  DRANE, 

"Ye  Olde  Saint  Bride's  Presse," 

Salisbury  House,  Salisbury  Square,  E.G. 

/y  you  have  any  difficulty  in  obtaining  the  above  Book,  the 

Publisher  will  be  pleased  to  /br^vard,  post  free,  on 

receipt  of  published  price. 


PREFACE 

The  little  book,  which  now  makes  its  bow  to  the 
public,  has  not  any  pretentious  aims.     It  is  not 
intended  as  a  competitor  with  the  large  and 
serious  works  which  have  of  late  years  placed 
such   a  fund   of  valuable   information    at    the 
disposal  of  the  lover  of  the  equine  race.     The 
ABC  of  the  Horse  merely    seeks    to    render 
a  little  help  to  the  man  who  keeps  one,  or,  it 
may  be  two    horses    for    pleasure,   and   who 
whilst     desirous     for    the     well-being    of    his 
animals,   has    not    the    time,   or    perhaps   the 
inclination,    to    wade    through    a    large    and 
technical  volume.     I   do  not  for  one  moment 
profess  to  say  anything  new  in   the  book,  but 
merely   to  give  the  owner  an   opportunity  of 
learning    sufficient    to    prevent    a    display    of 
ignorance  in  the  presence   of   the  groom  he 
employs,  the  dealer  he  may  be  buying  from, 
9 


16  PREFACE 

or  the  "  horsey "  friend  whom  he  may  be 
showing  over  his  stable.  The  veterinary 
section  also  asks  for  the  same  modest  under- 
standing. Simple  ailments  are  only  dealt  with, 
for  if  the  capability  to  realise  their  presence 
is  learnt  and  appreciated,  then  there  will  be 
but  little  danger  of  the  graver  troubles  being 
overlooked.  With  this  explanation  I  put 
down  my  pen,  feeling  that  the  very  unpre- 
tentiousness  of  the  volume  will  earn  the 
kindly  consideration  of  the  critics,  and  that 
I  may  have  perhaps  done  a  little  to  help 
the  animal  for  whom  no  man  hath  greater 
love  than  has 

HAROLD  TREMAYNE. 


The  ABC  of  the  Horse 

CHAPTER    I 

DIFFERENT   BREEDS    OF    HORSES — THE 
DIFFICULTY  OF  SELECTION 

In   an   elementary   work,   such  as  this 

only  professes   to   be,   it  is  impossible 

to  deal  at   length   with   the  numerous 

breeds    of    horses     which    are    to    be 

found    in    the    British    Isles,   and   the 

necessity  for  such  a  course  is  nullified 

by  the  knowledge   that   the  reader  of 
II 


12  A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE 

this  book  is  hardly  likely  to  be  a 
purchaser  of  other  than  a  specimen 
of  a  "  light  breed."  Then  again,  it  is 
impossible  in  the  space  at  disposal  to 
deal  with  the  history  of  those  breeds, 
or  to  trace,  say,  the  effect  which  the 
introduction  of  Arabian  blood  by 
James  I.  and  Charles  I.  has  had  upon 
the  thoroughbred.  Such  information, 
valuable  although  it  is  to  the  student, 
would  be  out  of  place  here,  for  it  is 
with  present-day  requirements  rather 
than  the  particulars  furnished  by  that 
valuable  work,  the  Stud  Book,  which 
we  have  to  consider. 

When  the  tyro  decides  that  he  will 


A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE  13 

find  an  occupant  for  his  stable,  he  is 
confronted  with  the  question — "What 
sort  of  animal  should  I  keep?"  It 
is  obvious  that  the  man  who  wishes 
to  travel,  say,  a  mile  and  a  half  to 
the  station  every  morning  in  the 
shortest  possible  space  of  time,  will 
choose  a  different  class  of  animal  to 
him  who  desires  something  which  will 
make  envious  neighbours  forget  the 
injunction  of  the  Tenth  Command- 
ment, and  declare — "  What  a  splendid 
animal !  What  magnificent  action  ! " 
The  horse  which  is  intended  for  show, 
which  is  wanted  for  a  stylish  equi- 
page,    must     necessarily     be     a    trifle 


14  A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE 

"above  itself"  in  condition,  and  al- 
though pace  and  action  are  by  no 
means  incompatible,  experience  goes 
to  show  that  the  animal  which  is 
continually  driven  at  a  fast  pace  in- 
variably loses  a  great  deal  of  its 
action.  This  fact  is  proved  by  a  visit 
to  the  showyards.  The  horses  which 
turn  up  again  and  again  as  winners 
are  those  which  are  in  high  condition, 
and  it  will  be  noticed  that  they  are 
always  driven  in  a  collected  manner. 
"  Pace  brings  down  the  knee  action " 
is  an  old  stable  saying,  which,  unlike 
some  sayings  emanating  from  the 
same  quarter,  is  perfectly  true. 


ABC  OF  THE  HORSE  15 

The  difficulty  of  selection  of  a  type 
of  animal  is  to  the  novice  undoubtedly 
great.  The  first  question,  however, 
which  he  should  put  to  himself  is, 
"  What  do  I  require  the  animal  for  ? " 
That  question  should  be  carefully 
considered  before  any  step  is  taken, 
as  otherwise  it  is  more  than  likely 
that  dissatisfaction  will  result  from 
what  was  a  wrong  move  in  the  first 
place.  If  he  wants  a  hack,  he  will 
look  for  a  different  class  of  animal 
— certainly  a  different  type  of  shoulder 
— to  what  he  would  seek  in  a  trapper, 
whilst  if  he  wants  a  general  utility 
horse — that  is   to   say,  one  capable  of 


i6  A  EC  OF  THE  HORSE 

being  ridden  or  driven — he  will  look 
for  the  "  useful  stamp,"  which,  although 
not  likely  to  make  such  heavy  inroads 
on  his  banker's  balance,  should,  if 
once  secured,  be  not  parted  with 
lightly.  The  general  utility  horse, 
which  can  be  relied  upon  to  go  well 
and  quietly,  either  between  the  shafts 
or  under  saddle,  is  invaluable,  although 
his  appearance  may  not  be  so  stylish 
as  that  of  his  more  favoured  brother 
or  sister  who  is  kept  for  one  purpose 
only.  Between  15.1  hands  and  15.3 
hands  is  a  useful  height.  If  an  animal 
is  above  15.3  he  requires  a  large  or 
high  carriage,  and  of  late  years  fashion 


A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE  17 

has  rather  favoured  the  medium-height 
trap. 

Cobs  are  very  popular  with  the 
"  one  -  horse  keeper."  Although  the 
term  "cob"  is  perhaps  a  trifle 
ambiguous,  it  is  generally  applied  to 
any  animal  between  14.1  hands  and 
1 5. 1  hands.  This  statement  may 
perhaps  be  challenged  by  the  equine 
authority,  who  will  triumphantly  ask, 
"  How  can  a  cob  be  anything  between 
14. 1  hands  and  15.1  hands,  when  a 
polo  pony  is  allowed  to  measure  14.2 
hands?"  This  argument  can  only  be 
met  with  the  reply  that  14.2  hands 
is  the  extreme  limit  of  height  of  the 


i8  A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE 

polo  pony,  and  that  that  limit,  although 
doubtless  fixed  in  the  best  interests 
of  the  game,  certainly  exceeds  that 
of  any  specimen  of  the  mountain 
breeds  of  ponies  to  which  we  have 
in  the  past  looked  for  our  best 
specimens. 

The  pony  has  of  recent  years  come 
in  for  a  wonderful  share  of  popular 
favour,  and  when  all  the  circumstances 
are  considered,  the  fact  is  not  surpris- 
ing. This  animal  is  capable  of  an 
enormous  amount  of  work  on  very 
short  commons.  Although  he  shows 
the  benefit  of  a  plentiful  supply  of 
good    food,    the    pony    can    rub   along 


ABC  OF  THE  HORSE  19 

where  many  specimens  of  the  large 
race  would  soon  go  to  the  wall.  He 
is  also  wonderfully  hardy  and  strong. 
Long  journeys  seem  to  agree  with 
his  constitution,  and  his  capacity  to 
rough  it  is  of  no  little  value  to  the 
"  one-horse,"  or,  rather,  "  one-pony 
owner,"  who  finds  other  work  beside 
the  stable  for  the  man  employed  about 
the  place.  The  value  of  the  pony  is 
shown  by  the  increased  prices  he 
commands.  Every  year  the  supply 
is  increasing,  the  fact  that  there  is 
money  in  pony  breeding  being  more 
and  more  recognised,  but  nevertheless 
prices  show  an  upward  tendency,  and 


20  A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE 

when  a  really  good  specimen  comes 
under  the  hammer,  the  heads  of  pro- 
spective buyers  nod  with  prompt 
regularity.  The  14  -  hands  pony 
makes  an  excellent  hack  if  the  action 
is  all  right,  but  the  prospective  buyer 
must  not  fail  to  bear  in  mind  the 
weight  which  the  animal  may  be 
called  upon  to  carry.  The  man  who 
rides,  say,  fifteen  or  sixteen  stone, 
would  in  all  probability  do  better  to 
choose  a  stout  general  utility  cob  of 
14.3  hands. 

These  points  must  be  carefully  borne 
in  mind  before  the  purchase  is  made. 
What     is     the     animal     wanted     for? 


A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE  21 

What  size  and  type  of  carriage  is  it 
required  to  draw?  Who  are  Hkely  to 
be  the  drivers  or  the  riders?  Are 
those  drivers  or  riders  inexperienced 
or  nervous  ?  for  it  naust  not  be 
forgotten  that  intuition  quickly  tells 
the  steed  who  is  holding  the  reins, 
and  the  horse  or  pony  which  is 
perfectly  quiet  with  one  man,  may, 
through  excessive  spirits  or  a  spice 
of  mischievousness,  behave  very 
differently  with  another  person.  To 
pursue  the  questions,  however — How 
much  work  is  required  to  be  done? 
What  is  the  pace  at  which  the 
owner  wishes  to  travel  ?      And   lastly, 


22  A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE 

but  perhaps  by  no  means  least,  What 
amount  of  attention  is  it  proposed  to 
bestow  on  the  animal?  This  question 
must  not  be  taken  as  suggesting 
that  certain  animals  can  do  with  but 
little  attention.  Such  an  idea  is  very 
far  from  the  mind  of  the  writer. 
No  horse  or  pony  can  thrive,  or  do 
its  owner  or  itself  justice,  if  it  be 
neglected,  for  its  health,  and,  con- 
sequently, its  physical  capacity,  is 
bound  to  suffer,  but,  on  the  other 
hand,  the  horse  which  is  required  to 
do  its  six  miles  in  half  an  hour 
requires  somewhat  different  food  and 
attention     to     his     brother     who      is 


A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE  23 

taken  in  from  the  paddock  to 
comfortably  trot  a  similar  distance 
in  double  the  time. 

In  concluding  this  chapter  perhaps 
the  best  thing  to  do  would  be  to 
give  a  few  particulars  of  the  leading 
breeds  and  the  types  they  represent. 

The  Cob, — As  previously  mentioned 
the  cob  has  of  late  years  been  taken 
wonderfully  into  popular  favour.  The 
variation  in  price  is  remarkable. 
Animals  possessing  excellent  points 
can  frequently  be  picked  up  for  twenty 
pounds  or  twenty-five  pounds,  whilst,  on 
the  other  hand,  a  really  first-class 
Park   cob,    that    is,    an    animal    which 


24  A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE 

has  good  all-round  action  in  a  trap, 
or  an  animal  which  is  perfect  in  its 
pacos  and  quiet  for  the  most  nervous 
old  gentleman  to  ride,  will  command 
a  very  big  figure.  A  typical  cob 
should  have  a  round  barrel  and 
quarters,  and  short,  muscular,  flat 
limbs.  The  neck  should  be  short 
and  muscular,  and  should  be  joined 
to  well-sloping  shoulders,  with  that 
graceful  line  which  denotes  strength 
and  good  breeding.  The  knees 
should  be  broad  and  flat,  whilst 
the  hocks  should  denote  strength 
without  coarseness.  The  hind  legs 
should  not  be  set  on  too  far  behind,  so 


A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE  25 

as  to  be  what  is  known  as  "  camped," 
for  then  there  will  be  a  loss  of 
power  and  an  unpleasantness  of 
action. 

The  Hackney. — Probably  the  Hackney 
is  the  most  popular  of  all  the  light 
breeds,  and  the  reason  is  not  far  to 
seek.  Wealthy  men  have  for  many 
years  now  been  lavishing  money  on 
him,  until  they  have  produced  as  fine 
specimens  of  horse  flesh  as  man 
could  desire  to  see.  It  is  claimed 
by  admirers  of  the  breed  that  a 
Hackney  is  a  general  utility  horse, 
and  that  he  cannot  be  put  in  a 
place  where  he  will  not  acquit  himself 


26  A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE 

well.  The  writer,  however,  dares  to 
hold  a  different  view.  Although  an 
ardent  admirer  of  the  Hackney  as  a 
harness  horse,  I  venture  to  state  that 
my  own  experience  goes  to  show  that 
that  animal  is  not  the  best  that  can 
be  chosen  when  a  saddle  horse  is 
also  required.  The  very  magnificence 
of  the  action  of  the  Hackney  makes 
against  him  as  a  comfortable  carrier 
of  a  rider,  but  having  said  this  I 
must  hasten  to  urge  his  enormous 
merits  for  harness  purposes.  The 
typical  Hackney  possesses  a  face  of 
striking  intelligence,  the  full,  kind 
eye  at   once  arresting   attention.     The 


A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE  27 

chest   should   be    deep   and    wide,    the 
body   short,   the   ribs  well    sprung,  the 
loins  powerful,  whilst  the  limbs  should 
display    strength    without    coarseness. 
Strong    arguments    in    favour    of   the 
Hackney  are  that  he  generally  possesses 
plenty  of  courage,   good   temper,   and 
excellent     feet    and     legs.       A     bad- 
tempered  Hackney  is  a  rara  avis,  and 
although  detractors  of  the  breed  have 
often    urged    the    charge  of  "  softness 
of  constitution,"    experience    goes     to 
show  that  the    Hackney  is  capable   of 
doing   an   enormous  amount    of    work 
without     showing     the    effects    of    it. 
Prices      vary       considerably.         Prize 


28  A  DC  OF  THE  HORSE 

winners,  or  mares  by  well-known 
winners  fetch  large  prices,  but  it  is 
possible  to  obtain  a  very  fair  animal 
for  anything  from  forty-five  pounds 
to  eighty  pounds. 

Tlie  Hunter. — During  recent  years 
the  thoroughbred  has  become  the 
popular  mount  in  the  grass  counties 
of  Leicestershire,  Northamptonshire, 
etc.,  the  reason  being  that  the  increased 
pace  at  which  hounds  travel  nowa- 
days makes  it  necessary  for  a  horse 
to  be  able  to  gallop  and  jump  at  a 
tremendous  rate.  It  is  frequently 
affirmed  that  the  thoroughbred  is  the 
horse     for     any     and     every     county 


A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE  29 

but,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  in  a  close 
county,  that  is,  where  there  is  more 
ploughed  land,  and  the  enclosures 
are  smaller,  the  half-bred  hunter  is 
generally  preferred.  A  typical  hunter 
should  be  absolutely  sound  in  wind 
and  eyesight.  The  head  should  be 
lean  and  the  neck  moderately  long. 
Good  oblique  shoulders,  prominent 
withers,  strong  back  and  loins, 
well  -  sprung  ribs,  wide  hips,  and 
muscular  thighs,  should  top  powerful 
legs  and  sound  feet.  The  hocks 
should  be  particularly  strong,  for 
upon  them  is  thrown  the  chief  portion 
of  the  work  whenever  a  leap  is  under- 


30  ABC  OF  THE  HORSE 

taken.  In  fact,  a  hunter  should  show 
power  all  over,  without  that  coarse- 
ness which  is  a  sign  of  inferior 
breeding.  It  is  impossible  to  name 
the  price  usually  paid  for  a  hunter. 
A  great  deal  depends  on  the  weight 
of  the  rider,  and  also  upon  his  skill 
with  animals.  A  light-weight,  that 
is  to  say,  a  man  who  can  ride  ten 
stone,  can,  if  he  knows  his  way 
about,  fill  his  stable  with  thorough- 
bred "  weeds,"  upon  which  he  may 
see  a  great  deal  of  sport,  for  thirty 
pounds  or  forty  pounds  apiece,  whilst 
the  man  who  rides  sixteen  or  seventeen 
stone   may   find   it   difficult   to   satisfy 


A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE  31 

his    requirements     for    less     than    ten 
times  those  sums. 

The  Pony. — A  tribute  of  praise  was 
paid  to  the  pony  in  an  earh'er 
portion  of  this  chapter.  The  best 
known  breeds  are  the  Dartmoor,  the 
Exmoor,  the  New  Forest,  the  Shetland, 
and  the  Welsh  ponies.  Unfortunately, 
too  little  attention  was  paid  to  these 
breeds  for  many  years,  consequently 
the  result  of  neglect  in  mating  is  now 
but  too  apparent.  There  has,  however, 
recently  been  a  change  for  the  better ; 
societies  for  their  preservation  and 
improvement  have  sprung  into  existence, 
and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  in  the  near 


32  A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE 

future  the  good  points  which  have  in 
too  many  cases  been  allowed  to  dis- 
appear, will  be  resuscitated,  and  that 
true  specimens  of  the  breeds  will  be 
placed  on  the  market  at  prices  not 
prohibitive  to  the  man  with  a  limited 
income.  The  size  of  the  Shetland 
pony  necessarily  renders  it  unsuitable 
for  any  but  small  children,  but  with 
regard  to  the  other  breeds,  although 
they  all  possess  certain  distinguishing 
features,  it  naturally  follows  that  ponies 
must  necessarily  possess  certain  points 
of  similarity  in  common.  The  pony 
should  be  similar  in  conformation  to 
the    cob — in     fact,    he    should    be     a 


A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE  33 

"miniature  cob."  It  will  be  usually 
found  that  the  legs  and  feet  of  the 
mountain-bred  pony  are  good,  the  very 
nature  of  his  early  existence  making 
for  surefootedness  and  strength.  The 
prices  vary  considerably.  Dartmoor 
ponies  can  be  purchased  as  yearlings 
for  five  pounds  or  six  pounds,  whilst 
the  "  made  article,"  that  is,  the  five-year 
old  pony,  quiet  to  ride  and  drive,  will 
fetch  anything,  according  to  its  appear- 
ance and  action. 

The  Roadster  or  General  Utility 
Horse  may  consist  of  any  breed  of 
horse  at  all,   or  of  any   of  the   breeds 

crossed.     It   would   be   waste  of  space 
c 


34  A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE 

to    attempt    to    recapitulate    here    the 
points  which  should  be  looked  for,  as  of 
course,    the    question,    "What    is    the 
animal    wanted   for?"    must   play   the 
leading  part  in  the  decision  arrived  at. 
Taken  generally,  however,  the  man  who 
buys  a  half-bred,  and  who  bears  in  his 
mind's   eye  the  description   given  of  a 
cob    and   a   hackney,  will   not   go   far 
wrong.     In  the  roadster,  soundness  and 
strength  of  limbs  and  feet  should  be  a 
sine  qua  non,  for  the  horse  which  does 
not  possess  these  essentials,  is  likely  to 
damage  himself  and  his  driver  or  rider 
down  the  first  hill  he  goes.     The  general 
utility   horse   can   be   bought  for   any- 


ABC  OF  THE  HORSE  35 

thing  from  thirty  pounds  to  sixty 
pounds,  although  perhaps  it  would  be 
safe  to  say  that  the  average  price  is 
about  forty-five  pounds. 


CHAPTER   II 

HOW  TO   BUY  A  HORSE— FRAUDULENT 

PRACTICES  TO   BE  GUARDED 

AGAINST 

It    is    perhaps     one     of    the     hardest 

things  in  the  world  to  tell  a  man  how 

he  should   buy  a  horse.     It  is  easy  to 

fill   pages  of  a  book  with  good  advice 

as  to  what  faults  should  be  looked  for, 

what  good  points  should    be  essential, 

but     even     if    the     prospective    buyer 

carried     all     the     text-books    on     the 

subject  to  the   place  where  he  was  to 

see  the  animal  under  consideration,  and 
36 


ABC  OF  THE  HORSE  37 

even  if  he  read  every  word  of  that 
advice,  glancing  the  while  at  the  steed, 
if  the  text-book  student  had  not  had 
previous  experience,  if  he  had  not  a 
natural  gift  for  finding  and  appreciating 
the  good  or  bad  points,  then  the 
probabilities  would  be  that  he  would 
err  in  some  little  detail.  Buying  a 
horse  has  been  declared  to  be  as 
difficult  as  the  choice  of  a  wife,  and 
although  this  may  in  some  degree  be 
true,  it  is  perfectly  certain  that  whilst 
the  dissatisfied  purchaser  can  always 
send  the  horse  to  the  nearest  repository, 
the  dissatisfied  husband  must— but  why 
pursue  the  subject  further  ? 


3^  A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE 

There  are,  of  course,  numerous  ways 
of  purchasing  a  horse.  The  buyer  may 
attend  a  local  fair,  and  relying  upon  his 
own  judgment  choose  an  animal  which 
seems  to  meet  his  requirements.  This 
is  a  difficult  task  for  even  the  most 
experienced  to  undertake.  A  large 
number  of  the  horses  which  find  their 
way  to  fairs  do  so  because  they  have 
some  fault  or  vice  which  reduces  their 
value.  This  statement  must  not  be 
taken  in  too  sweeping  a  sense.  Scores 
of  horses,  especially  those  sent  from 
Ireland,  are  perfectly  sound  and 
well  worth  the  money  paid  for  them, 
but    in    a    general    way    it    may    be 


A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE  39 

safely  assumed  that  the  animals  which 
are  at  all  worth  the  money  asked  are 
quickly  snapped  up  by  the  dealers  and 
their  representatives.  Usually  the  fairs 
are  the  resort  of  either  young,  partially 
broken  horses,  which  are  excellent 
material  for  "experience"  to  work 
upon,  or  else  of  aged  horses  for  whom 
it  is  difficult  to  find  a  market.  The 
very  excitement  of  a  fair  is  a  cloak  to 
the  faults  which  are  not  easily  discern- 
ible. In  fact,  it  may  be  safely  assumed 
that  for  a  novice  to  purchase  a  horse  of 
his  own  selection  at  a  fair,  or  in 
one  of  the  repositories  which  abound 
in  all  the  big  towns,  is  like  putting  the 


40  A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE 

hand  into  a  lucky  dip  where  the  blanks 
considerably  exceed  the  prizes. 

If  the  purchaser  be  determined  to 
buy  in  either  of  these  places  he  should 
have  for  his  companion  a  veterinary 
surgeon  or  a  friend  upon  whose  judg- 
ment he  can  rely.  Even  then  the 
possibilities  of  a  bad  bargain  are  by 
no  means  remote.  The  veterinary 
surgeon  can,  of  course,  tell  if  the  animal 
has  any  physical  defect,  but  it  is 
impossible  in  a  short  examination  to 
prophesy  what  will  be  the  horse's 
behaviour  between  shafts  or  under 
saddle.  Frequently  the  statement 
appears    in    a    catalogue — "  Has    been 


A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE  4t 

ridden  and  driven  by  a  lady,"  or  "  Has 
been  ridden  by  a  child."  To  the  novice 
this  information  would  seem  sufficient 
for  all  purposes,  but  men  who  have 
been  in  the  trade  will  not  hesitate  to 
say  that  there  are  plenty  of  women  who 
can  and  do  ride  and  drive  animals 
which  a  great  many  men  would  hesitate 
to  tackle,  whilst  the  writer  has  a  little 
friend,  a  boy  of  eleven  years — therefore 
well  within  the  description  "  Has  been 
ridden  by  a  child" — who  will  sit  any- 
thing pretty  well  that  has  ever  been 
foaled.  Not  so  very  long  ago  this 
young  hopeful  had  a  twenty-minutes' 
tussle  with  as  bad  tempered  a  thorough- 


42  A  D  C  OF  THE  HORSE 

bred  as  any  man  would  desire  to  see  in 
his  stable,  and  when  the  plunging, 
kicking,  bucking  mass  of  vitality  had 
exhausted  his  energies,  the  perspiring 
youngster  slid  out  of  the  saddle,  remark- 
ing, "  I  have  ridden  quieter  horses  than 
that  one,  father."  This  illustration  is 
furnished  in  order  to  demonstrate  the 
necessity  for  a  certain  amount  of  reserva- 
tion in  the  acceptance  of  catalogue  de- 
scriptions. Of  course,  it  may  be  said  that 
if  an  animal  does  not  come  up  to  the 
warranty  it  can  be  returned.  True  !  But 
what  warranty  is  there  in  the  statement 
"  Has  been  ridden  by  a  child,"  or,  "  Has 
been  ridden  and  driven  by  a  lady  "  ? 


A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE  43 

There  are  two  ways  of  purchasing 
animals  which  seem  to  reduce  the  risk 
to  a  minimum.  The  first  is  buying  from 
a  reputable  dealer,  and  the  second  is 
entering  into  negotiations  with  a  bona- 
fide  advertiser  in  one  of  the  high-class 
agricultural  journals.  In  both  these 
cases  the  purchaser  has  ample  time  to 
consider  and  weigh  the  information 
which  is  offered  him.  When  a  gentle- 
man is  anxious  to  sell  a  horse,  he  will 
frequently  allow  it  to  go  on  a  week's 
trial,  especially  if  the  prospective  pur- 
chaser agrees  to  pay  a  small  sum  if  a 
deal  is  not  effected.  A  large  number 
of  dealers  will  also  allow  an  animal  to 


44  ABC  OF  THE  HORSE 

go  on  trial  for  a  week  or  a  fortnight,  if 
fair  payment  for  hire,  in  the  event  of  its 
return,  be  guaranteed.  The  horse  which 
the  dealer  would  not  allow  to  leave  his 
stable  on  these  terms  should  be  viewed 
with  a  certain  amount  of  suspicion, 
This  may  sound  a  sweeping  statement, 
and  undoubtedly  there  are  many  dealers 
who  do  not  like  the  "  trial  system,"  but 
as  a  rule  a  dealer  will  give  way  rather 
than  lose  a  customer.  Of  course,  when 
the  horse  is  in  your  own  stable,  and  away 
from  the  eye  which  jealously  guards  him 
from  the  danger  of  obviously  betraying 
any  little  failing,  which,  whilst  not 
amounting  to  a  defect  may,  nevertheless, 


ABC  OF  THE  HORSE  45 

militate  against  the  chances  of  a  deal, 
your  opportunity  for  a  careful  and 
prolonged  examination  is  all  that  you 
could  possibly  desire.  Take  advantage 
of  that  opportunity,  for  it  is  not  fair  on 
the  dealer  who  has  given  you  a  week's 
trial  to  go  back  to  him  a  month  later 
and  complain  about  some  defect  which 
should  have  been  obvious  long  before. 

We  will  suppose,  however,  that  the 
prospective  buyer  is  visiting  a  dealer's 
stable  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  a 
horse,  and  he  is  shown  one,  which,  as 
far  as  general  build  goes,  meets  his 
requirements. 

Now  the  process  of  careful  examina- 


46  ABC  OF  THE  HORSE 

tion  should  be  proceeded  with.  This 
can  be  done  by  the  novice  himself,  even 
if  he  has  the  assistance,  which,  of  course, 
he  should  have,  of  a  veterinary  surgeon 
or  an  experienced  friend,  for  the  old 
adage  "Two  heads  are  better  than 
one"  is  applicable  to  horse  buying. 
Whilst  the  horse  is  in  the  stable  his 
general  behaviour  should  be  carefully 
watched.  On  no  account  should  an 
officious  groom  be  allowed  to  go  to  its 
head  with  an  exhortation  to  "  Get  up," 
for  the  natural  pose  should  be  one  of 
the  first  things  to  be  observed.  The 
front  legs  should  be  looked  at  to  see  if 
the  animal  "  points  "  or  not.    "  Pointing," 


ABC  OF  THE  HORSE  47 

as  it  is  known  in  stable  parlance,  is 
standing  with  the  lame  leg  flexed. 
Horses  with  slight  lameness  will 
frequently  point,  or  when  they  have 
incipient  trouble  with  the  feet  or  legs, 
the  first  indication  is  a  flexing  of  the 
afflicted  limb.  Such  stable  vices  as  crib- 
biting,  weaving,  wind  sucking,  shiver- 
ing, scraping,  and  resting  one  hind  foot 
upon  the  other  are  most  easily  dis- 
cerned when  the  animal  is  standing 
perfectly  quiet.  It  is  as  well,  perhaps, 
whilst  the  horse  is  in  the  stable,  and  its 
feet  are  clean,  to  go  up  alongside  of  it 
and  examine  them.  See  that  the  frog 
of  each  foot  is  perfectly  clean  and  sound, 


48  A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE 

and  that  it  does  not  smell.  If  there  is 
any  unpleasant  smell  arising  from  the 
sole  it  may  be  safely  assumed  that  the 
animal  is  suffering  from  thrush,  which 
is  a  difficult  disease  to  cure,  and  which, 
if  not  taken  in  time,  soon  plays  havoc 
with  the  foot.  The  heels  should  be 
open,  and  in  no  ways  contracted.  Look 
also  for  sandcrack,  but  perhaps  it  would 
be  as  well  to  reserve  a  more  detailed 
examination  of  the  foot  until  the  animal 
is  outside  in  the  broad  glare  of  daylight. 
When  the  horse  has  been  taken  out- 
side the  stable,  let  it  be  slowly  trotted 
upon  hard  ground.  Lameness,  if 
present,  will  then  be  apparent ;  and  as  a 


A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE  49 

general  rule  when  an  animal  is  lame 
behind,  the  disease  is  in  the  hock,  and 
when  in  front  in  the  suspensory 
ligaments  of  those  horses  used  for  fast 
work.  In  his  interesting  work. 
Veterinary  Notes,  Captain  Hayes  says  : 
"  When  a  horse  goes  lame  on  a  fore  leg 
without  any  perceptible  cause,  and 
wears  away  the  toe  of  the  shoe,  we  may 
suspect  that  foot  of  navicular  disease. 
But  if  he  goes  on  the  heel,  the  pro- 
bability is  that  he  has  either  laminitis, 
'seedy  toe,'  or  incipient  ring  bone.  If 
the  lameness  be  behind,  and  the  toe  of 
the  shoe  becomes  worn,  we  shall 
generally  find  that  it  is  due  to  spavin. 

D 


50  A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE 

Side-bones  are  almost  peculiar  to  cart 
horses,  sore  shins  to  race-horses,  and 
navicular  disease  to  riding,  cab  and 
carrias^e  horses.  Navicular  disease  and 
occult  spavin  are  hardly  ever  found  in 
horses  under  seven  years  of  age." 

Intermittent  lameness  may  be  caused 
by  rheumatism,  whilst  it  is  well  to  bear 
in  mind  the  fact  that  in  many  cases 
lameness  disappears  with  exercise. 
The  prospective  buyer  should  therefore 
watch  very  carefully  the  animal's  move- 
ments from  the  time  that  it  leaves  the 
stable,  for  the  more  it  gets  warmed  by 
its  exercise  the  less  likely  are  the 
chances  of  detecting  defects. 


A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE  51 

Having  satisfied  himself  as  to  the 
soundness  of  the  action  of  the  animal, 
the  buyer  should  proceed  with  his 
examination  in  detail.  The  general 
conformation  should  be  carefully 
studied  from  the  front  so  that  any 
wasting  at  the  shoulder,  narrowness  of 
the  chest,  or  turning  in  or  out  of  the 
toes  could  be  observed.  Coming 
around  to  the  near  side,  the  general 
shape  of  the  body,  and  the  position  of 
the  fore  and  hind  limbs,  should  be 
noted.  A  flat-sided  animal  will  never 
do  its  food  justice,  whilst  unless  the 
legs  are  set  on  properly  it  cannot  carry 
itself  or  its  rider  safely.     Horses  with 


52  ABC  OF  THE  HORSE 

twisted  fore-legs  are  apt  to  hit  the 
inside  of  the  fetlock  joint,  and  under 
the  knee  as  well.  Moving  on,  the 
observer  now  takes  his  stand  behind 
the  animal,  and  he  should  carefully 
note  the  space  between  the  hocks,  and 
also  the  general  shape  of  those  joints. 
Capped  hocks  can  be  observed  from 
this  position.  They  are  unsightly,  and 
are  frequently  caused  by  kicking,  but 
they  very  seldom  cause  lameness. 
Passing  around  to  the  off-side,  the 
observer  pursues  his  examination.  All 
this  of  course  takes  time,  which  al- 
though perhaps  irritating  to  the 
vendor     is    not    without     use    to    the 


ABC  OF  THE  HORSE  53 

purchaser.  The  manner  in  which  the 
animal  submits  to  the  ordeal  is  some 
little  guide  as  to  its  temperament.  If, 
for  instance,  whilst  standing  behind  it, 
the  animal  lashes  out  with  its  hind 
legs,  as  I  have  seen  horses  do  more 
than  once,  then  the  examination  can 
be  promptly  concluded,  for  its  tempera- 
ment is  hardly  likely  to  suit  the  "  one- 
horse"  owner. 

Having  concluded  the  ocular  inspec- 
tion the  horse  should  be  handled  in 
order  to  find  any  of  those  defects 
which  may  not  be  apparent  to  the 
naked  eye.  The  teeth  should  be 
examined     for     signs     of     crib-biting 


54  A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE 

disease,  and  fraudulent  practices — which 
are  dealt  with  later  on — the  nostrils  for 
the  general  tone  of  health,  the  eyes  for 
cataract  or  other  disease,  and  the  poll 
for  what  is  known  as  "  poll-evil." 
Then,  moving  around  to  the  near  or 
left  side  an  examination  should  be 
made  of  the  jugular  groove,  in  order  to 
see  if  there  are  any  scars — fairly  sure 
signs  that  the  horse  has  been  bled.  It 
may  be  mentioned  here  that  those  scars 
are  not  so  frequently  met  with  nowa- 
days as  they  were  thirty  years  ago, 
when  bleeding  was  "  the  rage."  Where 
the  collar  presses  should  be  carefully 
examined    for    signs    of   galling,    and 


A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE  55 

whilst  referring  to  that  matter,  it  would 
be  perhaps  as  well  to  point  out  the 
necessity  of  examining  the  withers  for 
fistula,  and  the  "saddle-bed"  for  galls. 
If  old  marks  only  are  found  it  is  per- 
haps well  not  to  pay  too  much  attention 
to  them,  as  they  are  generally  caused 
by  an  ill-fitting  saddle,  a  thing  which 
we  presume  the  reader  of  this  work 
would  not  tolerate  for  one  moment. 
Having  concluded  the  examination  of 
the  shoulders  and  withers,  the  hand 
should  be  run  down  the  near  fore-leg 
for  the  purpose  of  detecting  any 
blemish  or  any  bony  deposit — known 
as  a  splint — between  the  knee  and  the 


56  A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE 

fetlock,  or  any  thickening  of  the  flexor 
tendons  or  of  the  suspensory  ligament. 
The  position  of  a  splint  decides  its 
importance.  If  it  be  near  a  joint,  or 
likely  to  involve  a  joint,  then  it  is  a 
grave  defect,  but  otherwise  veterinary 
surgeons  do  not  attach  much  import- 
ance to  it.  On  the  other  hand,  any 
thickening  of  the  flexor  tendons  and  of 
the  suspensory  ligament  is  very  serious, 
and  should  ensure  the  rejection  of  the 
animal.  Having  examined  the  leg  to 
see  that  the  operation  known  as 
"neurotomy"  has  not  been  performed, 
the  knee  or  fetlock  joints  should  be 
flexed,  as  any  stiffness  about  either  of 


ABC  OF  THE  HORSE  57 

these  joints  is  very  objectionable.  A 
further  examination  of  the  foot  should 
then  be  made  in  order  to  see  if  there 
are  any  laminitic  rings  upon  the  hoof 
wall,  and  the  hoof  should  be  tapped  for 
corns.  If  any  be  present  the  animal 
will  flinch  and  exhibit  other  signs  of 
uneasiness.  The  near  hind  leg  next 
comes  in  for  examination.  Wasting  of 
the  muscles  over  the  stifle  should  be 
looked  for,  and  then  a  careful  examina- 
tion of  the  hock  should  be  made. 
Stiffness  of  the  joint  can  be  discovered 
by  flexing  it,  whilst  an  examination  by 
the  hand,  and  comparison  between  the 
two  hocks,  should  help  the  observer  in 


58  A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE 

arriving  at  a  decision  as  to  their  condi- 
tion. If  the  slightest  difference  in 
appearance  be  noted,  the  reason  should 
be  carefully  searched  for.  Spavins, 
which  are  somevi^hat  similar  to  splints, 
except  that  they  occur  in  the  hock 
only,  shov^  themselves  on  the  inner  side 
of  that  joint,  just  below  the  bend. 
Spavin  is  very  evident  when  the 
animal  first  leaves  its  stable. 

Curbs  occur  a  few  inches  below  the 
point  of  the  hock,  and  although  they 
frequently  do  not  cause  lameness,  they 
undoubtedly  constitute  unsoundness. 
Having  run  the  hand  down  the  cannon 
bone,  and   found  it  clean  and  cool  to 


A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE  59 

the  touch,  the  hoof  and  sole  are  care- 
fully examined.  Then  the  observer 
passes  around  to  the  offside,  and  re- 
peats on  the  off  fore  and  hind  legs  the 
task  he  has  performed  on  the  near 
fore  and  hind  legs.  This  being  con- 
cluded, the  only  thing  which  remains 
to  be  done  is  to  test  the  animal's  wind. 
This  is  best  done  by  having  it  smartly 
galloped  on  a  soft,  and,  if  possible, 
heavy  piece  of  ground,  or  by  having 
it  put  in  a  carriage,  if  a  harness  horse, 
and  driven  rapidly  up  a  moderately 
steep  hill.  Another  method  of  testing 
the  wind  is  to  place  the  animal  against 
a  wall  and  suddenly  raise  the  hand  as 


6o  A  DC  OF  THE  HORSE 

if  to  strike  it.  If  it  emits  a  grunting 
sound  the  liveliest  suspicions  should 
be  aroused,  and  a  further  test  pro- 
ceeded with.  As  previously  stated,  the 
above  directions  for  the  examination 
of  a  horse  are  merely  intended  for  the 
amateur.  The  "expert,"  by  whom 
such  an  amateur  should  always  be 
accompanied,  would  probably  make  a 
much  more  detailed  examination,  but 
such  details  would  be  far  too  technical 
for  the  compass  of  the  present  work. 

Fraudulent  Practices, — Unfortunately, 
horse-dealing  lends  itself  more,  perhaps, 
than  most  other  callings  to  fraudulent 
practices.     Why  this   should    be   so   it 


A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE  6i 

is  difficult  to  say,  but  nevertheless 
the  fact  exists.  When  the  skin  of  the 
horse  has  been  blemished  or  galled, 
different  coloured  hair  makes  its  ap- 
pearance on  the  seat  of  the  injury,  and 
it  is  no  uncommon  thing  for  the  "  horse- 
coper"  to  dye  the  offending  hairs  so 
as  to  enable  them  to  escape  detection. 
Such  a  fraud  is  a  course  easily  dis- 
covered by  the  experienced  man,  but 
it  is  not  so  apparent  to  the  novice. 
Then,  again,  sand  cracks  are  often 
stopped  with  gutta-percha,  although 
the  coper  more  frequently  relies  on 
carefully  plastered-in  mud.  Both  these 
frauds  can   be  detected  if  the  hoof  is 


62  A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE 

thoroughly  cleaned  with  a  brush  and 
water.  Bishoping,  so  called  after  a 
man  named  Bishop,  who  first  per- 
formed the  nefarious  operation,  is  a 
tampering  with  the  teeth  in  order  to 
make  an  aged  horse  appear  more 
youthful.  Some  years  ago  this  opera- 
tion was  very  popular  with  a  certain 
class  of  migratory  dealer,  but  the 
strong  arm  of  the  law  has  done  much 
to  put  a  stop  to  it,  Tar  is  sometimes 
given  to  broken-winded  horses  in  order 
to  keep  quiet  the  secret-telling  cough. 
There  are  scores  of  such  tricks  known 
to  the  stable  hanger-on,  but  as  they 
are    also   known    to   the    expert   they 


A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE  63 

do  not  often  accomplish  their  purpose. 
They  are  for  the  most  part  attempted 
at  fairs,  where  the  vendor  relies  for 
safety  on  the  innocence  of  the  pur- 
chaser, and  upon  his  own  capacity  to 
make  a  speedy  departure  before  the 
fraud  is  discovered.  Needless  to  say, 
if  attempted  and  discovered,  the  seller 
can  promptly  receive  the  attention  of 
the  police.  It  is  only  fair  to  the 
repositories,  where  so  much  business  is 
done  nowadays,  to  say  that  these  frauds 
are  but  seldom  attempted  there,  for  if 
the  auctioneer  had  his  suspicions  aroused, 
he  would,  for  his  own  reputation's  sake 
promptly  inquire  into  the  matter. 


CHAPTER  III 

HOW  TO  TELL  THE  AGE  OF  THE  HORSE 

The   teeth    are   the   means   by   which 

the   age  of  the  horse  can  be  told,  and 

although  there  have  been  many  cases  in 

which  they  have  misled  the  examiner, 

it   may  be   safely   stated   that   in   999 

cases   out  of   1000,   the   teeth   are    up 

to  eight  years  of  age  a  sure  indication 

of  the  age  of  the  horse.     In  his  highly 

interesting  work,  The  Veterinary  Manual 

for   Horse   Owners^   Mr   F.   T.  Barton, 
64 


ABC  OF  THE  HORSE  65 

M.R.C.V.S.  says:  "The  '  first/ ' second/ 

and  '  third '  molars   (grinders)   are  but 

temporary,  i.e.,  never  replaced. 

"  On  the  other  hand,  all  the  incisor 

(nipping)  teeth  are  'temporary/  and  it 

is  their  replacement,  etc.,  which  affords 

(aided    in    part    by    an   inspection    of 

the   molars)   such   reliable  evidence  of 

the     horse's      age,     at     least,      up      to 

eight  or  ten  years.     After  this  time  an 

opinion     becomes     more     speculative. 

When    the    foal   is   one   year   old   the 

'fourth'   permanent   molar   is    up,   but 

not  worn,  and  at  the  age  of  two  years 

the  '  fifth '  permanent  molar  is  up. 

"  The  '  sixth '  permanent  molar  is  not 
E 


66  ABC  OF  THE  HORSE 

cut  until  the  horse  arrives  at  three  and 
a  half  years. 

"When  the  animal  is  two  years  and 
six  months  the  '  first '  and  '  second ' 
temporary  molars  are  replaced,  and  the 
'third'  one  at  three  and  a  half  years. 

"  Up  to  two  years  or  thereabout  all 
the  nipping  (incisor)  teeth  are  of  a 
temporary  nature.  At  three  years  the 
central  permanent  incisors  are  level, 
at  four  years  the  middle  pair  the 
same,  and  at  five  years  the  corners 
are  on  a  level  with  the  others.  Many 
horses  bred  in  the  North  of  Scotland 
are  frequently  several  months  later  in 
getting  their  teeth. 


A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE  67 

*'  When  the  horse  arrives  at  six 
years  the  corner  teeth  show  wear, 
confined  to  their  front  edge,  absent 
in   a  horse   at    five   years. 

"  Seven  and  eight  years  afford  the 
cheating  horse  -  dealer  the  greatest 
delight. 

"  To  many  of  these  gentlemen  all 
the  horses  they  have  for  disposal  are 
either  seven  or  eight,  and  in  one 
instance  we  remember  examining  the 
teeth  of  a  pony,  said  to  be  seven,  yet 
it  proved  to  be  thirty  years  old  at  least. 

"  At  seven  years  the  '  Mark '  is 
elongated,  and  it  is  very  near  the 
hinder   edge. 


68  A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE 

"  Look  at  the  corner  teeth,  in  which 
the  '  Mark '  nearly  runs  the  length 
of  the  tooth,  but  in  a  horse  at  '  eight ' 
it  is  very  much  smaller.  This  also 
applies  to  the   other   incisors. 

"  At  ten  years  a  groove  starts  upon 
the  outer  face  of  the  upper  corner 
incisor. 

"In  all  cases  it  is  the  rule  to  refer 
to  the  lower  incisor  teeth  only,  unless 
the  mouth  be  kept  closed." 

The  very  simplicity  of  these 
directions  forces  the  writer  to  make 
these   extracts. 

Sometimes  when  the  mouth  is  closed 
the    upper   teeth    project,  overhanging 


A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE  69 

the  lower  teeth,  and  this  constitutes  a 
"  parrot  mouth."  A  horse  with  such  a 
defect  is  naturally  placed  at  con- 
siderable disadvantage  when  feeding. 
Horses,  like  human  beings,  frequently 
suffer  from  diseases  of  the  teeth,  but 
in  the  majority  of  cases  these  troubles 
only  arise  during  the  early  stage  of 
their  careers,  or  when  old  age  is 
creeping  on.  The  veterinary  surgeon 
of  to-day  combines  the  duty  of  dentist 
with  his  other  professional  qualifications, 
and  it  is  no  uncommon  thing  for  an 
animal  to  have  the  troublesome  tooth 
extracted,  or  a  surface  filed  down. 


CHAPTER    IV 

GENERAL     MANAGEMENT :     GROOMING 
— STABLING — FEEDING 

The  one-horse  owner  seldom  keeps 
a  man  only  for  the  stable,  as  the 
work  to  be  done  would  not  be  sufficient 
to  occupy  his  whole  time.  He  there- 
fore generally  fills  in  the  odd  hours  by 
working  in  the  house  or  in  the  garden. 
The  chief  requisites  for  a  successful 
coachman  are  steadiness,  sobriety,  good 
temper,  and  a  love  of  animals.      The 

man  who  is  hasty  or  brutal  will  soon 

70 


A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE  71 

ruin  the  best-tempered  horse  that  ever 
ate  out  of  a  manger.  No  man  should 
be  expected  to  look  after  more  than 
two  horses  and  a  carriage,  if  he  has  to 
go  out  with  them.  One  of  the  dis- 
advantages of  keeping  only  one  servant 
is  that  on  wet  days,  if  the  mud  is  not 
cleaned  off  the  carriage  before  it  dries 
on,  it  takes  longer  to  clean,  and  the 
paint  and  varnish  suffer,  whilst  if  the 
carriage  receives  the  first  attention  the 
horse  or  horses  run  a  risk  of  catching 
cold  and  developing  that  bane  of  the 
stable—cracked  heels. 

An  excellent  motto  to  be  placed  in 
every  stable    would    be    "  Groom    well 


72  A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE 

and  often."  Lack  of  grooming  is 
bound  to  mean  lack  of  good  health. 
Without  it  a  sleek  coat  is  impossible, 
and  the  respiratory  system  cannot  be 
properly      stimulated.  Perspiration 

prevents  the  pores  of  the  skin  getting 
choked,  but  the  fluid  is  apt  to  con- 
solidate again  at  the  roots  of  the  hair 
if  it  is  not  removed,  hence  the  necessity 
for  good  grooming.  But  how  many 
men  know  the  way  to — or  anyrate  do 
— groom  well  ?  To  say  one  in  five 
would  be  probably  too  high  an 
estimate.  It  is  the  curry  comb  which 
is  so  popular  with  the  strapper,  and 
when,   by   the   aid    of  its  sharp   teeth, 


ABC  OF  THE  HORSE  73 

the  animal  has  been  sufficiently 
irritated  to  cause  it  to  absolutely 
refuse  to  stand  still,  the  brush  is 
brought  into  use.  If  only  the  vigour 
with  which  it  is  applied  could  bear 
favourable  comparison  with  that  shown 
by  the  average  groom  in  the  way 
of  hissing,  for  fear  a  speck  of  dust 
should  find  its  way  down  his  own 
throat,  it  would  be  all  right,  but  un- 
fortunately such  is  not  the  case.  He 
hisses  vigorously,  brushes  in  a  per- 
functory way,  the  animal  loses  con- 
dition, and  the  master  wonders  why. 
Hard  brushes  are  not  necessary — a 
soft  brush  applied  with  pressure  being 


74  A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE 

quite  as  efficacious  and  less  irritating 
to  the  skin  than  a  hard  one  used 
with  less  pressure. 

In  his  interesting  and  exhaustive 
work,  The  Practical  Horse  Keeper^  Dr 
George  Fleming,  F.R.C.V.S.,  says: 
"  Next  in  importance  to  food  and 
water  in  stable-kept  horses  is  grooming. 
There  can  he  no  doubt  that  the 
artificial  state  in  which  horses  are 
kept  renders  cleanliness  of  the  skin  a 
necessity,  and  it  is  universally  re- 
cognised that  the  beauty,  health,  and 
vigour  of  the  horse  are  largely  de- 
pendent upon  the  condition  of  his 
integument. 


A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE  75 

"  The  function  of  the  skin  is  very  im- 
portant, and  just  in  proportion  as  that 
function  is  maintained  in  activity,  so 
will  the  health  be  improved.  To  clean 
the  skin  thoroughly,  a  brush  is,  perhaps, 
the  best  appliance ;  though  in  Eastern 
countries,  where  the  horses  have  very 
thin,  sensitive  skins  and  fine  coats,  as 
well  as  with  some  horses  in  our  own 
country,  a  brush  may  cause  considerable 
irritation.  ...  It  must,  however,  be  re- 
garded as  essential  to  proper  manage- 
ment that  under  no  pretext  is  a  horse 
to  be  left  for  the  night  until  all  his  legs 
have  been  thoroughly  dried.  Nor  is 
this  precept  very  difficult  of  execution  ; 


76  A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE 

a  handful  or  two  of  light  wood  sawdust 
rubbed  for  a  few  minutes  well  into  the 
hair  will  absorb  all  moisture  from  the 
most  hirsute  legs,  affording  not  only  a 
sense  of  comfort  to  the  animal,  but 
preventing  those  undesirable  conse- 
quences engendered  by  continued  ap- 
plication of  cold  and  wet  to  the  ex- 
tremities. The  iron  curry  comb  should 
never,  as  a  rule,  be  applied  to  the  skin 
of  horses.  For  long,  rough  coats 
nothing  is  better  than  a  good  dandy 
brush  to  remove  dandriff,  dust,  and 
dirt ;  for  finer-coated  horses  a  good 
bristle  brush  suffices,  and  the  use  of 
this   may    be    advantageously    supple- 


ABC  OF  THE  HORSE  yy 

mented  by  the  wisp  and  rubber;  indeed, 
for  some  extremely  thin-skinned,  fine- 
coated  horses,  the  two  latter  are 
generally  found  sufficient,  provided  the 
groom  applies  them  energetically  and 
efficiently.  .  .  .  If  the  horse  is  heated, 
or  is  wet  from  perspiration  or  rain,  he 
should  on  no  account  be  allowed  to 
remain  undried  for  any  length  of  time  ; 
but  if  he  cannot  be  attended  to  immedi- 
ately in  a  proper  manner,  he  may  either 
receive  a  temporary  wisping  of  the  body 
and  legs,  or  clothing  and  bandaging 
these,  or  leaving  on  the  saddle  or 
harness  until  an  opportunity  arrives  for 
grooming  him  ;  or,  better  still,  he  may 


78  A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE 

be  exercised  for  a  short  time,  so  as  to 
prevent  what  is  called  a  chill.  When 
he  can  be  attended  to,  the  legs  should 
be  first  well  dried,  and  then  bandaged, 
a  blanket  being  thrown  over  the  body 
meanwhile ;  when  all  the  legs  have 
been  so  treated,  the  body  may  then  be 
groomed,  and  when  this  has  been 
finished,  \i  necessary,  the  bandages  may 
be  removed  from  the  legs,  and  these 
thoroughly  brushed  out.  It  is  very 
dangerous  to  allow  the  skin  to  dry  by 
simple  evaporation,  and  especially  in  a 
cold  or  draughty  stable  ;  as  pleurisy, 
bronchitis,  and  inflammation  of  the 
lungs   or  intestines  are  very  often  the 


A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE  79 

result.  To  groom  a  horse  properly 
requires  a  considerable  amount  of  time, 
and  much  skill  and  exertion  ;  it  is 
therefore  necessary,  unless  grooms  are 
very  trustworthy,  that  owners  of  horses 
should  know  when  their  horses  are 
groomed,  and  should  also  see  that  it 
is  done  thoroughly.  A  well-groomed 
horse  gives  evidence  of  the  fact  in  the 
clean,  shining,  and  healthy  appearance 
of  the  coat,  and  if  the  hand  be  rubbed 
against  the  hairs  it  is  not  soiled  by 
them.  If,  on  the  contrary,  the  horse 
is  not  well-groomed,  the  coat  will  be  dull, 
staring,  and  unsightly,  and  patches  of 
dirt  may  be  seen  upon  it,  while  if  the 


8o  A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE 

hand  is  pushed  up  through  it,  it  will  be 
covered  with  a  white  greasy  film,  and 
if  the  animal  has  perspired,  scurf  and 
dirt  will  be  observed  where  the  saddle 
or  harness  has  been  ;  while  on  examina- 
tion of  the  points  of  the  hips  and 
shoulders,  the  sides  and  points  of  the 
hocks,  the  roots  of  the  hairs  of  the 
mane,  tail,  and  forelock  will  yield 
further  evidence.  When  the  legs  must 
be  washed,  which  sometimes  happens, 
as  when  very  muddy,  or  with  white  and 
grey-legged  horses,  they  should  be 
thoroughly  dried  immediately  after,  and 
wrapped  in  flannel  bandages.  Some 
grooms  are  greatly  in  favour  of  washing 


A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE  8i 

the  body  and  legs,  but  unless  in  special 
cases — as  when  the  skin  is  extremely 
greasy  or  dirty — this  cannot  be  recom- 
mended. It  is  much  better  to  wisp  or 
scrape  well,  or  both,  and  then  clothe 
and  bandage,  if  the  body  is  wet,  leaving 
the  thorough  cleaning  to  be  carried  out 
when  circumstances  are  favourable. 
More  especially  should  this  procedure 
be  observed  in  winter,  in  order  to  avoid 
what  is  known  as  '  mud  fever.'  If 
perfect  drying  could  be  ensured  im- 
mediately after  washing,  perhaps  no 
harm  would  result ;  but  as  this  cannot 
always   be    relied    upon,   washing   had 

better  be  dispensed  with." 
F 


82  ABC  OF  THE  HORSE 

Before  leaving  the  subject  of  groom- 
ing, two  pieces  of  advice  to  the  novice : 
When  your  horse  has  been  finished  off 
for  the  day,  occasionally  visit  the  stable 
and  pass  your  hand  under  the  chest 
between  the  forelegs,  and  feel  for  hair 
matted  with  dry  perspiration.  If  you 
find  it  once,  forgive  it,  but  if  you  find 
it  a  second  time,  dismiss  the  man.  As 
a  good  housewife  searches  the  corners 
of  her  house  for  dirt  and  dust,  so  the 
good  horse  owner — the  man  who  recog- 
nises that  he  owes  a  duty  to  the  animals 
who  do  his  work  for  him  —  should 
examine  those  portions  of  their  bodies 
which  do  not  at  the  first  glance  attract 


A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE  83 

attention.  The  second  piece  of  advice 
is,  occasionally  run  your  fingers  through 
the  mane — see  that  it  is  not  knotted — 
and  turn  it  over  in  order  to  make  sure 
that  the  roots  are  not  full  of  dust.  It 
is  another  of  those  hidden  corners  which 
require  the  master's  eye  to  investigate. 
Stabling. — It  is  easy  to  hold  forth  on 
the  necessity  of  properly  constructed 
and  well  -  ventilated  stables,  but 
questions  as  to  site,  conformation 
and  locality  hardly  come  within  the 
power  or  decision  of  the  one-horse 
keeper  if  he  be  the  tenant  of  the 
house  he  occupies.  If  a  man  lives 
in  his  own   place  he  may  be  tempted 


84  A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE 

to  spend  money  on  it,  but  if  he  is  only 
the  tenant  he  generally  feels  that  he 
must  make  the  best  of  what  the  land- 
lord provides.  But  everyone  can  have 
a  well-regulated  stable.  Nothing  can 
be  worse  than  for  the  horse  to  be 
exposed  to  a  keen  wind  or  a  cross- 
draught  when  he  is  standing  in  his 
stall.  Grooms  are  generally  inclined, 
however,  to  go  to  the  other  extreme, 
and  to  block  up  every  aperture.  Ex- 
cessive heat  is  almost  worse  for  the 
animal  than  excessive  cold,  and  the 
owner  should  watch  carefully  the 
thermometer,  which  should  always 
find  a   place  in   every   stable.      When 


A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE  85 

the  doors  are  thrown  open  the  first 
thing  in  the  morning,  the  nostrils  are 
often  assailed  by  a  strong  odour 
generated  by  stale  litter,  and  lack  of 
proper  ventilation.  How  can  any 
animal,  coming  out  of  such  a  place,  be 
expected  to  be  refreshed  by  its  night's 
rest?  The  horse  wants  pure  air  as 
much  as  man.  The  owner  should  see 
that,  whilst  all  causes  of  draughts 
are  stopped  up,  the  ordinary  precau- 
tions for  the  maintenance  of  proper 
ventilation  are  preserved.  I  cannot 
urge  this  point  too  strongly,  for  I  have 
often  seen  in  young  animals  the  vitiat- 
ing   effect    that    a    foetid     atmosphere 


86  A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE 

has  had.  It  is  not  the  same  night's 
evacuations  which  do  so  much  mischief 
as  those  of  previous  days.  In  too  many- 
stables  the  upper  surface  of  the  litter  is 
kept  all  right,  but  it  is  the  foundation  of 
the  bed  which  reeks  of  ammonia,  which 
sends  up  its  fumes  into  the  animal's 
nostrils  and  eyes,  and  sets  up  irritation 
and  disease.  Occasionally  take  a  fork 
and  turn  over  the  bed,  and  see  that 
its  foundation  is  clean.  It  is  not  much 
to  do;  one  turn  with  the  fork  is 
sufficient  to  get  a  general  impression, 
and  the  groom  seeing  you  do  it  once 
will  probably,  from  mere  expectancy 
of    your   renewing  your   investigations. 


A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE  87 

see  that  the  bed  is  kept  all  right. 
There  are  some  people  who  always 
insist  upon  the  doors  of  their  stables 
being  kept  closed  when  the  horses 
are  out.  They  do  so  on  the  score 
of  neatness,  but  doors  thrown  wide 
open — back  against  the  wall  —  are 
equally  as  neat,  and  better  from  a 
hygienic  point  of  view,  because  the 
stable  can  thus  be  thoroughly  aired  ;  the 
sun's  rays  have  then  a  chance  of  finding 
their  way  into  the  little  nooks  and 
corners  which  are  such  happy  hunting 
grounds  for  all  forms  of  bacteria. 
Light  is  the  enemy  of  the  microbe, 
and  therefore  let  there  be  light. 


88  A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE 

Cleanliness  is  of  the  utmost  innport- 
ance  in  any  stable,  and  with  cleanliness 
naturally  goes  attention  to  all  matters 
of  drainage.  Do  not  allow  the 
dung-heap  to  be  made  just  outside 
the  stable  door.  It  is  easier  to  throw 
the  used-up  straw  there,  but  it  will 
also  be  in  just  the  position  to  pollute 
the  atmosphere,  and  to  cause  the  smells 
arising  from  it,  when  the  wind  is  in  a 
certain  direction,  to  flow  back  into  the 
stable.  Be  the  system  of  drainage 
what  it  may,  the  owner  can  at  anyrate 
see  that  the  drains  are  not  allowed  to 
collect  and  stagnate  in  any  little  holes 
that   there   may   be   in    the   floor,   and 


A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE  89 

that  after  the  brush  has  been  passed 
along  the  back  of  the  horses'  stalls,  a 
little  disinfecting  fluid,  or,  better  still, 
powder,  is  thrown  down.  All  these 
things  require  a  master's  eye.  It  is 
the  little  details  of  stable  management 
which  make  for  success,  and  however 
keen  a  groom  may  be,  the  knowledge 
that  the  "guv'ner  takes  a  pride  in  his 
horses  "  should  always  be  behind  him. 
Feeding, — The  question  of  food  is 
of  as  great  importance  as  any.  The 
horse  requires  as  much  attention  in 
the  matter  of  diet  as  a  human  being, 
and  this  is  what  too  many  men  fail 
to   realise.      They   give   to   an   animal 


90  A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE 

his  proportion  of  food,  and  then  they 
think  they  have  done  their  duty.  But 
such  is  not  the  case.  Some  horses 
are  as  fastidious  as  any  man.  They 
want  to  be  tempted  to  eat,  and  the 
mess  which  is  thrown  into  their  stall 
does  not  induce  an  appetite.  If  they 
are  at  all  of  a  nervous  temperament 
can  they  be  expected  to  go  on  with 
their  repast  whilst  a  man  is  hissing 
around  them  with  a  sharp  curry-comb, 
and  because  they  venture  to  move 
yells,  "  Get  up,  you  brute ! "  Good  oats 
build  up  strength,  and  not  to  give 
them  is  false  economy.  The  well-fed 
animal  is  capable  of  doing  better  work 


A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE  91 

and  the  extra  cost  of  the  oats  con- 
sumed is  repaid  by  the  work  done. 
The  horse  looks  for  his  food  at  certain 
stated  times.  He  knows  as  well  as 
any  human  being  when  those  times 
arrive,  and  if  he  is  disappointed  his 
stomach  gets  weak.  He  cannot  tell 
it,  and  man  should  therefore  remember 
it  for  him.  Neither  can  the  horse 
protest,  except  by  allowing  the  crav- 
ings of  hunger  to  go  unsatisfied,  when 
his  manger  is  full  of  stale  or  dusty 
food.  A  clean  and  sweet  -  smelling 
manger  tempts  the  appetite,  and  good 
food  is  easily  spoilt  by  mixing  it 
with    refuse     from     a    previous    meal. 


92  A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE 

Bran  mashes  should  be  given  regularly 
once  a  week,  and  if  the  coat  is  at  all 
inclined  to  harshness,  some  linseed 
made  into  a  hot  mash  will  have  a 
beneficial  effect.  Some  stablemen  are 
very  fond  of  limiting  the  supply  of 
water.  This  is  a  great  mistake,  as 
unless  the  horse  comes  home  very 
hot,  he  is  not  likely  to  drink  more 
than  is  good  for  him.  He  is  far 
more  likely  to  injure  himself  if  not 
allowed  to  quench  his  thirst,  or  if 
permitted  to  do  so  freely  after  a 
lengthy  and  enforced  abstinence. 

In  his  highly  interesting  and  valuable 
work,  Horses   and  Stables,  Lieutenant- 


A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE  93 

General  Sir  F.  Fitzwygram,  Bart, 
says:  "Of  the  quantity  of  water  to 
be  given  at  one  time,  the  horse  himself 
is  in  general  the  best  judge.  Excepting 
in  a  few  cases,  such  as  where  the  horse 
is  excessively  hot  or  exhausted,  or  has 
from  any  cause  been  kept  without 
water  for  an  undue  length  of  time,  or 
where  there  is  a  tendency  to  purgation 
or  diuresis,  the  horse  may  safely  be 
allowed  to  drink  as  much  as  he  likes. 
It  is  a  cardinal  rule  in  stable  manage- 
ment that  horses  should  be  watered 
before  being  fed.  The  contrary  practice 
is  exceedingly  likely  to  cause  colic, 
otherwise    called   gripes.  ...     It    is   a 


94  A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE 

somewhat  singular  fact  that  horses 
may  be  watered  with  safety  almost 
immediatety  after  their  return  from 
work,  even  though  somewhat  heated. 
Probably  the  friction  from  grooming, 
which  takes  place  about  the  same 
time,  prevents  the  occurrence  of  a  chill. 
Many  regiments  water  their  horses  on 
their  way  home  from  a  field  day,  if  a 
river  or  troughs  are  handy,  and  it  is 
certain  that  no  mischief  results  from 
the  practice.  Probably  in  this  case 
the  further  slight  exercise  in  returning 
home  prevents  mischief.  There  is  less 
risk  of  chill  from  drinking  cold  water 
when    the   body  is   still  actively  warm 


A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE  95 

than  when  the  system  has  begun  to 
flag.  If,  however,  the  horse  is  thor- 
oughly tired  and  fagged,  the  water 
should  be  made  slightly  tepid,  or  a 
bucket  of  warm  gruel  may  be  given 
instead.  In  such  cases  there  may  not 
be  sufficient  vitality  to  raise  a  large 
quantity  of  cold  water  to  the  tempera- 
ture of  the  body  ;  and  hence  the  animal 
may  become  chilled,  and  his  coat  will 
stare,  his  bowels  may  become  deranged 
and  further  serious  consequences  may 
result." 


CHAPTER    V 

MINOR  ACCIDENTS  AND  AILMENTS, 
AND   THEIR   TREATMENT 

In  this  chapter  merely  a  few  of  the 
minor  accidents  and  ailments  which 
occur  to  the  horse  are  dealt  with,  for 
it  would  be  impossible  in  the  space 
at  disposal  to  deal  lengthily  with 
the  subject.  Whenever  a  horse  is 
found  to  be  really  ill,  the  best  plan 
is  to  at  once  call  in  a  veterinary 
surgeon.  It  is  not  fair  to  the  animal 
for  the  owner  to  try  amateur  doctor- 
ing, for  there  are  many  diseases  which 
96 


A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE  97 

to  the  inexperienced  eye  present  the 
same  symptoms,  although  the  methods 
of  successful  treatment  are  bound  to 
be  different. 

Bleeding  {See  Haemorrhage). 

Blood  Spavin. — This  is  an  ignorant 
expression,  for  it  refers  to  what  is 
really  a  varicose  vein,  as  it  passes 
over  the  front  of  the  hock. 

Broken  Wind  is  displayed  by 
difficulty  of  breathing.  An  examina- 
tion of  the  flank  will  show  a  hesitancy 
during  the  expulsion  of  each  breath 
although  inspiration  is  performed 
with  steadiness.  A  permanent  cure 
is   impossible,   although   careful   atten- 


98  ABC  OF  THE  HORSE 

tion  to  feeding  will  bring  about  some 
alleviation  of  the  trouble.  Feed  and 
water  frequently  and  in  small  quantities 
is  sound  advice. 

Bruises, — The  limbs  of  the  horse  are 
most  frequently  bruised.  Hot  fomenta- 
tions followed  by  a  cooling  lotion  will 
have  a  soothing  and  beneficial  effect. 

Canker. — Really  an  advanced  stage  of 
thrush,  and  is  due  to  improper  stable 
management.  Violent  inflammation  is 
always  present,  and  the  odour  emitted 
is  overpowering.  When  suspected, 
skilled  aid  should  at  once  be  called 
in. 

Capped  Elbow. — Generally  caused  by 


ABC  OF  THE  HORSE  99 

the  animal  striking  that  joint  when 
lying  down,  the  continual  irritation 
eventually  producing  a  tumour. 

Capped  Hock. — Animals  which  are 
given  to  kicking  frequently  get  their 
hocks  capped.  I  f  the  trouble  is  of  recent 
date  it  will  be  shown  by  increased  heat 
in  the  part. 

Catarrh  or  Cold. — This  is  a  common 
disease.  Discharge  from  the  nasal 
organs  is  usually  accompanied  by  some 
fever  and  cough.  Careful  nursing  is 
chiefly  required.  Draughts  must  be 
avoided,  although  there  should  be 
plenty  of  fresh  air.  Laxative  food  and 
a  little  nitrate  of  potass  in  the  water 


loo  A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE 

will  usually  effect  a  cure.  Should  the 
symptoms  become  grave  then  skilled 
aid  should  be  at  once  called  in. 

Corns. — The  inner  quarter  of  the  sole 
is  the  seat  of  a  corn,  and  the  fore  limbs 
are  those  usually  affected.  They  are 
the  result  of  the  unnatural  pressure 
thrown  upon  the  part  by  the  use  of  the 
shoe.  The  remedy  is  to  be  found  in 
removing  the  pressure  by  paring  away 
the  horn  covering  the  seat  of  the  corn, 
and  thus  preventing  the  shoe  from 
touching  it. 

Cracked  Heels, — Easily  recognised  by 
the  swelling-up  of  the  legs,  and  the 
amount  of  heat  in  the  neighbourhood  of 


ABC  OF  THE  HORSE  loi 

the  heels.  The  skin  is  hard,  glossy  and 
red,  and  fissures  and  discharge  follow. 
The  treatment  consists  of  fomentations 
of  hot  water  and  the  application  of 
poultices  made  of  linseed,  or  of  equal 
parts  of  linseed  and  bran.  Later  on, 
when  all  heat  has  disappeared,  an  oint- 
ment consisting  of  powdered  alum  and 
common  lard  should  be  rubbed  in. 

Curb, — An  enlargement  at  the  back 
of,  and  just  below,  the  point  of  the  hock. 
Sickle-shaped  hocks  are  predisposed 
towards  curbs. 

Eczema  is  a  skin  disease  which  it  is 
often  hard  to  cure.  Skilled  aid  should 
be  obtained. 


102  A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE 

Elephantiasis. — A  permanent  thicken- 
ing of  the  skin  and  underlying  tissues, 
causing  a  permanent  enlargement  of  the 
part  affected.  Attacks  of  what  is 
vulgarly  known  as  "  Monday  Morning 
Disease,"  bring  it  on.  That  disease  is 
most  frequently  met  with  in  animals 
employed  in  slow  work,  and  v/ho  re- 
main in  the  stable  from  Saturday  to 
Monday. 

Flat  Feet  are  highly  objectionable  as 
they  are  a  sign  of  weakness. 

Fistulous  Withers. — A  difficult  disease 
to  cure.  It  is  highly  dangerous  to  work 
a  horse  suffering  from  them,  as  sudden 
pressure    on    the    part  affected    might 


A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE  103 

cause  it  to  bolt  or  become  unmanage- 
able. 

Glanders.  —  This  terrible  disease  is 
almost  entirely  confined  to  the  large 
towns.  Scientific  research  has  thrown 
some  light  upon  its  ravages,  but  un- 
fortunately its  cure  up  to  the  present 
seems  hopeless,  whilst  the  infectious 
powers  of  glanders  are  known  too  well. 
Human  being  and  animal  alike  are 
endangered  by  the  presence  of  a 
glandered  animal.  "  Glanders,"  says 
Captain  Hayes  in  Vetennary  Notes^ 
"is  most  readily  communicated  by  in- 
oculation with  the  diseased  discharge 
from  the  nostrils,  the  mere  contact  of 


I04  ABC  OF  THE  HORSE 

whichwith  any  of  the  mucous  membranes 
is  sufficient  to  give  rise  to  the  disease. 
Hence  it  is  advisable,  when  examining 
a  suspected  horse,  to  be  very  careful 
to  avoid  the  possibility  of  his  sneezing 
•  or  coughing  in  one's  face,  which  we  may 
do  by  using  the  special  face-guards  that 
are  manufactured  by  veterinary  instru- 
ment makers  for  the  protection  of 
persons  examining  glandered  horses. 
Bab^s  has  proved  that  the  glanders 
bacillus  may  penetrate  into  the  skin, 
without  the  aid  of  any  existing  wound, 
by  gaining  entrance  into  some  of  the 
hair  follicles,  where  it  will  multiply, 
cause  ulceration  of  the  skin,  and  thus 


ABC  OF  THE  HORSE  105 

infect  the  animal.  The  moral  is 
obvious.  Inoculation  with  glanders- 
tainted  blood  has  been  found  to  fail 
more  often  than  it  succeeds  in  trans- 
mitting the  disease.  .  .  .  This  power 
of  infecting  the  atmosphere  of  a  stable 
seems  to  be  possessed  by  glandered 
animals  which  show  no  outward 
symptom  of  the  disease,  as  well  as  those 
which  have  a  running  from  the  nose.  In 
fact  it  has  not  infrequently  happened 
that  such  horses  have,  without  contact, 
infected  healthy  animals,  into  whose 
near  vicinity  they  have  been  brought,  so 
virulently  that  the  latter  have  died  in  a 
short  time   from  glanders,  though  the 


io6  ABC  OF  THE  HORSE 

former  continued  in  apparent  health." 
Describing  the  symptoms  of  acute 
glanders,  a  form  of  the  disease  which 
is  of  course  the  most  easily  diagnosed, 
Captain  Hayes  says :  "  More  or  less 
persistent  shivering  fits  ;  a  marked  rise 
(often  of  f  or  8°  Fahr.)  in  the  internal 
temperature  of  the  body  (normal,  about 
99°  Fahr.),  and,  consequently,  more  or 
less  fever  usher  in  the  attack.  The 
coat  is  dry  and  staring  ;  the  pulse 
frequent  and  weak ;  the  breathing 
hurried  and  painful ;  the  animal  rapidly 
loses  condition ;  and  the  mucous  mem- 
branes of  the  nose  become  filled  with 
nodules  and  ulcers  which  run  together 


ABC  OF  THE  HORSE  107 

and  discharge  pus.  Symptoms  of  farcy, 
diarrhoea  and  swellings  of  the  limbs  and 
head  may  appear."  The  premonitory 
shivering  fits  and  rise  of  temperature 
should,  however,  at  an  early  period  of 
the  disease  serve  as  a  warning  to  the 
amateur  of  the  necessity  of  at  once 
obtaining  professional  aid. 

Grease.— i:\i\?>  is  an  aggravated  form 
of  sore  heels.  If  not  taken  in  time  the 
disease  extends  above  the  fetlock-joints, 
and  there  is  considerable  swelling,  with 
cracks  and  ulcers  in  the  skin,  and  a  dis- 
charge of  offensive  matter.  The  disease 
is  frequently  the  result  of  overcrowding 
and  injudicious  feeding.    It  is  admitted 


io8  ABC  OF  THE  HORSM 

always  to  be  the  result  of  improper 
stable  management.  Fomentations  and 
poultices  should  be  the  first  treatment 
adopted. 

Gripes. — This  is  the  popular  name 
for  colic,  and  may  arise  from  a  number 
of  causes.  The  pain  comes  on  sud- 
denly, the  horse  paws,  strikes  at  its 
belly,  lies  down,  rolls,  or  remains  out- 
stretched. The  attacks  are  short  and 
sharp.  Turpentine  in  linseed  oil  is  an 
old-fashioned  and  popular  remedy,  but 
most  grooms  have  their  own  favourite 
medicine  for  the  disease.  Some  horses 
are  very  subject  to  colic,  and  if  this  is 
found    to    be    the    case    a   veterinary 


ABC  OF  THE  HORSE  109 

surgeon  should  be  consulted  as  to  the 
probable  cause,  which  may  be  found  to 
be  indigestion. 

Hcemorrkage  or  Bleeding. — Some- 
times pressure  will  stop  this,  or 
plugging  the  wound  with  tow.  Cold 
water  will  frequently  stop  bleeding  if 
only  small  vessels  are  involved.  Water 
heated  to  130°  Fahr.  continually 
applied  is  a  safe  remedy,  but  failing 
success  a  styptic  must  be  used.  When 
this  becomes  necessary  it  is  well  to  call 
in  a  veterinary  surgeon,  as  extensive 
bleeding  necessarily  denotes  injury  to 
one  of  the  larger  vessels. 

ion. — This     state     may    of 


no  A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE 

course  be  set  up  in  any  portion  of  the 
body.  It  is  denoted  by  increase  in 
temperature,  or  by  heat  of  the  part,  if 
it  be  a  local  affection.  When  inflamma- 
tion of  any  of  the  internal  organs  is 
suspected,  skilled  aid  should  at  once 
be  requisitioned,  as  the  progress  of  such 
diseases  as  inflammation  of  the  lungs 
or  bowels  is  rapid  and  needs  prompt  and 
skilful  treatment. 

Influenza. — The  remarks  with  regard 
to  inflammation  are  especially  applic- 
able to  influenza,  which  commences 
with  a  shivering  fit,  and  if  neglected  is 
succeeded  by  symptoms  of  high  fever. 
The  progress  of  the  disease  is  very  rapid. 


A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE  in 

Laniinitis  is  chiefly  confined  to  the 
sensitive  laminae.  The  hoofs  get  very 
hot,  and  if  tapped  with  a  hammer  the 
pain  is  intensified.  The  horse  adopts  a 
cramped  attitude  whilst  standing,  and 
the  bodily  health  is  soon  affected. 
Laminitis  frequently  leaves  permanent 
injury  to  the  hoof,  it  being  no  un- 
common thing  for  it  to  be  shed. 
Lungs. — {See  Inflammation.) 
Mange. — A  contagious  disease  caus- 
ing the  hair  to  fall  off  in  patches, 
leaving  the  skin  scaly  and  rough,  and 
greasy  to  the  touch.  There  are  several 
excellent  specifics  on  the  market.  The 
local   remedy    may  consist   of  sulphur 


112  ABC  OF  THE  HORSE 

ointment;  made  up  of  sulphur  and  train 
oil  in  equal  quantities  and  applied  to 
the  affected  parts. 

Medicines,  and  How  to  Administer 
Thein. — The  most  popular  form  of 
giving  medicine  to  the  horse  is  by 
means  of  a  ball.  In  giving  a  ball  the 
horse's  tongue  is  drawn  out  of  his 
mouth  on  the  off-side  and  held  there 
firmly  in  the  left  hand.  The  ball  which 
is  held  between  the  fingers  and  thumb 
of  the  right  hand  is  then  placed  well 
back  and  down  the  throat  of  the 
animal.  The  tongue  is  then  released 
and  the  head  is  held  up  until  the 
medicine    is   seen    to    pass    down   the 


A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE  1 13 

gullet   on   the    left   side   of  the    neck. 

The  operation  should  be  performed  as 

quietly  as  possible,  and  if  the  animal  is 

at  all  refractory  it  is  better  to  obtain 

the   aid   of  a   skilled    person.     On   no 

account  should  the  hold  on  the  tongue 

be    retained    if   the    animal    struggles 

violently,  as  otherwise  serious  injury  is 

likely  to  result.     In  giving  a  drench  the 

tongue   should   not  be  interfered  with. 

The  horse's  head  should  be   raised  so 

that  the  nose  is  a  little  higher  than  the 

horizontal  line.      To  quote  again  from 

Dr  Fleming's   Practical  Horse  Keeper : 

"This    may   be    done,   if  the   horse   is 

quiet,   by   an    assistant;    but   if  he   is 
H 


114  A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE 

restless  it  is  necessary  to  keep  the  head 
elevated  by  a  loop  of  cord  inserted  into 
the  mouth  over  the  upper  jaw,  the 
prong  of  a  stable  fork  being  passed 
through  it,  and  the  handle  steadily  held 
by  the  assistant.  The  drink  is  then  to 
be  given  by  a  person  standing  on  the 
right  side  (the  assistant  being  in  front 
or  on  the  left  side  of  the  horse)  the 
side  of  the  mouth  being  pulled  out 
a  little  to  form  a  sack  or  funnel,  into 
which  the  medicine  is  poured,  a  little  at 
a  time,  allowing  an  interval  now  and 
again  for  the  horse  to  swallow.  If  any 
of  the  fluid  gets  into  the  windpipe 
(which  it  is  likely  to  do  if  the  head  is 


A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE  115 

held  too  high),  coughing  will  be  set 
up,  when  the  head  should  be  instantly 
lowered.  Neither  the  tongue  nor  the 
nostrils  should  be  interfered  with. 

"  Powders  may  be  given  in  a  little 
mash  or  gruel,  well  stirred  up." 

Megrims  come  on  quite  suddenly. 
Heart  disease  is  believed  to  be  one  of 
the  chief  causes  of  what  is  really 
congestion  of  the  brain.  A  tight- 
fitting  collar  or  long  exposure  to  the 
rays  of  a  powerful  sun  contributes  to 
the  appearance  of  the  disease.  A  first 
attack  predisposes  to  a  recurrence. 

Mud  Fever.  —  An  eruption  upon 
the  legs,  belly,  etc.     This  is  the  same 


ii6  ABC  OF  THE  HORSE 

condition  of  the  skin  as  cracked  heels, 
and  is  due  to  the  same  cause  or 
causes. 

Navicular  Disease. — The  seat  of  this 
disease  is  the  back  part  of  the  foot, 
where  the  navicular  bone  is  to  be  found. 
The  animal  affected  goes  downhill 
with  more  difficulty  than  he  goes  up- 
hill.    A  cure  is  impossible. 

Nursing  during  Sickness.  —  Careful 
nursing  is  half  the  battle  during  sick- 
ness. Fresh  air,  quiet  and  cleanliness 
are  absolute  essentials.  The  stable 
should  be  warm  without  being  stuffy. 
The  appetite  should  be  tempted  by 
continually   changing  the  food  offered. 


ABC  OF  THE  HORSE  117 

The  body  should  not  be  overloaded 
with  heavy  clothing. 

Poultices  are  made  of  bran, 
linseed  meal,  turnips,  carrots  or  char- 
coal. They  should  be  encased  in 
some  waterproof  material.  When  they 
are  to  be  applied  to  the  feet  a  poultice- 
shoe  is  of  advantage. 

Quittor.  —  Frequently  the  result  of 
a  puncture  of  the  foot  when  shoeing, 
or  of  a  tread  on  the  foot.  It  is  a 
difficult  disease  to  cure. 

Roaring. — An  animal  suffering  from 
this  disease  is  of  little  value.  It  is 
noticeable  during  inspiration  of  breath 
when  the  horse  is  in  motion. 


ii8  A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE 

Sander ack. — A  splitting  in  the  wall 
of  the  hoof. 

Shivering,  —  An  incurable  malady 
shown  by  a  quivering  of  the  muscles 
in  the  region  of  the  shoulders,  hind 
quarters  and  tail. 

Sprains. — In  all  cases  of  sprains  it 
is  necessary  to  keep  the  affected  part 
as  still  as  possible.  The  preliminary 
treatment  should  consist  of  cold-water 
bandages.  Absolute  rest  is  an 
essential  to  recovery. 

Stringhalt. — An  involuntary  uplift- 
ing in  "a  jerky  manner"  of  one  or 
both  the  hind  limbs  during  move- 
ment. 


A  B  C  OF  THE  HORSE  119 

Thoroughpins  are  generally  seen  in 
short  fleshy  hocks,  and  are  a  distention 
of  the  back  parts  of  the  hocks.  They 
are  compressible  on  both  sides  of  the 
hock,  and  are  often  the  results  of  hard 
work. 

Thrush. — Is  an  ulceration  of  the  frog, 
causing  a  secretion  of  very  offensive 
matter.  The  disease  should  on  no 
account  be  neglected. 

Warts. — Appear  on  different  parts 
of  the  skin.  They  may  be  removed 
by  caustics,  ligature,  the  hot  iron  or 
by  the  knife. 

Weaving.  —  There  is  no  cure  for 
this  habit,  which  consists   of  a  restless 


I20  ABC  OF  THE  HORSE 

moving  of  the  head  from  side  to  side. 
Horses  which  contract  the  habit  are 
usually  bad  "doers." 

"  Whistlers." — A  popular  term  for 
an  affection  of  the  breathing  organs. 
It  constitutes  unsoundness. 

Wind  Galls. — Puffy  swellings  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  the  fetlocks.  They 
are  most  frequently  met  with  in 
animals  who  have  done  a  great  deal 
of  work. 

Worms. — Several  kinds  of  worms  in- 
fest the  intestines  of  the  horse,  and  they 
all  have  the  effect  of  producing  loss  of 
condition.  When  a  voracious  appetite 
is    noticed    and    a    harsh,  rough   skin, 


A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE  121 

their  presence  should  be  suspected. 
There  are  many  excellent  worm 
medicines  on  the  market,  and  any 
chemist  will  supply  one. 

Wounds, — When  there  is  extensive 
bleeding  from  a  wound  it  should  be 
stopped  as  speedily  as  possible,  as 
loss  of  blood  means  loss  of  strength. 
In  his  Veterinary  Manual^  Mr  Barton, 
M.R.C.V.S.,  says:  "If  an  artery  has 
been  torn,  the  blood  is  sent  out  in 
'jets/  as  it  were,  whereas  bleeding 
from  veins  is  'continuous,'  and  less 
serious  than  the  former,  being  im- 
pure blood  and  of  a  purple  colour. 
Pressure   by    the   finger   can   often   be 


122  A  BC  OF  THE  HORSE 

used  to  control  bleeding,  a  fact  to  be 
remembered  in  cases  of  emergency. 
If  the  bleeding  vessel  can  be  grasped, 
it  may  be  tied  off  with  a  piece  of 
catgut  or  silk  thread,  etc.  The  free 
use  of  cold  water  will  often  stop  the 
bleeding  and  should  always  be  tried  ; 
besides,  it  helps  to  clean  the  wound. 
The  application  of  tincture  of  steel, 
Friar's  Balsam,  styptic,  collodion, 
alum,  etc.,  is  used  for  the  same 
purpose  when  the  bleeding  is  not 
excessive." 

THE    END 


NATURAL  HISTORY  WORKS 

A    YEAR    lariTH    NATURE 

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